Jammu, Apr 27: The Jammu and Kashmir Civil Secretariat closed here on Friday as part of 138-year-old biannual 'Durbar Move' practice. The offices would open in Srinagar on May 7.
 Official sources said the offices observing 5-day week closed today, while offices observing a six-day week would close on Saturday.
 An advance party comprising gazetted officer and four non-gazetted officers has already arrived in Srinagar to receive the official records.
 The civil secretariat witnessed hectic activities on the last day. Though most of the ministers remained conspicuous with their absence, the officials were busy packing their officials records.
 Meanwhile, only one-way traffic will ply on the Srinagar-Jammu highway for two days beginning Saturday as the convoys carrying the officials and government record will move to the summer capital.
 "There will be one way traffic on Srinagar-Jammu Highway in view of annual Durbar Move summer session on April 28 and April 29," the official spokesman said.
 He said the traffic will be allowed to move from the winter capital Jammu, where the state government is currently seated, to Srinagar and no vehicle will be allowed from Srinagar to Jammu.
 The restriction on vehicles to ply from Srinagar to Jammu will also be in place on May 5 and 6, the spokesman said.
 The practice of Durbar move, or shifting of the government's base, in Jammu and Kashmir is more than 100 year old.
 It was started by the Dogra Maharaja of the state to escape the extreme weather conditions in Jammu during summers and in Srinagar during winters.
 A recent statement by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah regarding the high cost connected with the century old practice has already set in a debate.
 Omar had termed the shifting of the state capital between Jammu and Srinagar twice every year as "waste of money", but said no viable alternative to the arrangement has come forth so far.
 "Do I think the 'Durbar move' (shifting of capital) is a waste of money? Yes I do. Is there an alternative? I haven't seen a viable alternative suggested," Omar had said.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 27 Apr 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 27 Apr 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 28 Apr 2012 00:00:00 IST